Mar. 19, 2008

Green Hour Challenge #5 - Making a List

 

Ok, I admit it, this week I just couldn’t do it...I just couldn’t drag us out in this weather! Last week it was truckloads of snow, this week we’re drowning in rain and mud. We made an honest attempt to go out in our backyard on Monday, but between the ankle high mud and brrrrr cold temps, we did an about face and marched right back inside. So, this week we took the "inside approach" to nature study, which honestly turned out to be a lot of fun too!

 

Our focus area pick from last week was birds, however as you will see from my recent postings we had a lot of gardening-type things going on too! But for this post, I will center on our bird studies. Here’s a rundown on the things we did.

 

For Objective #1 we were to begin keeping a running list of our observations from our focus area. So we spent some time this week observing our bird feeders and the woods behind our home and began recording our observations on our lists.

 

 

We plan on taking every opportunity we can to add to them, especially when we can get out in the great outdoors again! Oh, what is it like for you lucky nature-lovin’ folks who live in wonderful weather year-round?!! Ok, I‘m just being jealous! I really do love it here.

 

Ok, moving right along to Objective #2. We were of course supposed to take our outside nature walk and observe using our senses. But, what I did, was during our "from inside the house bird observation time," we opened the window for a few moments and listened to the sounds, looked closely around and observed the birds in the trees as well, and had meaningful conversations. It was really very peaceful, lots of beautiful bird sounds, cute squirrels running all around (and tearing up my feeders!), the drip drop of rain falling, and the sights and sounds of the rushing water in the creek. It was as if the floodgates had been opened and all the water was racing together to reach the finish line! The rushing water of the creek is truly a sight and sound to be deeply observed right now, because during the drier summer months it pretty well stays almost dried up; so that is very exciting.

 

Objective #3 was to add anything new that we observed during this time, which we have mostly done; I have a few more things for us to add.

 

For Objective #4, we we’re to give an opportunity for a nature journal entry. Alex chose to draw a picture of an American Robin. As you can see in the picture, he showed it first picking a worm out of the ground and then flying up to her babies in the nest. Hannah chose to do a bird journal sheet for the Northern Cardinal.  We also did a Northern Cardinal bird study that I organized to use.

 

 

 

In addition to the things above we also had a lesson one day on the Red-Tailed Hawk. Click here to listen to their sound.  We have been very blessed to have a pair that are nesting nearby and we have been able to observe them frequently. We have affectionately named them Rusty and Ruby. You can keep up with my blog entry on that here. So we read from the Handbook of Nature Study about Hawks which was so very interesting (as always). Our favorite thing we learned was the following:

 

"Their eyes are remarkably keen; they can see a moving creature from a great height, and can suddenly drop upon it like a thunderbolt out of a clear sky. Their wonderful eyes are farsighted when they are circling in the sky, but as they drop, the focus of the eyes changes automatically with great rapidity, so that by the time they reach the earth they are nearsighted; a feat quite impossible for our eyes unless aided by glasses or telescope."

 

That’s so cool! How would you like to have vision that good?!

 

The kids also pulled out the paints one evening (insert nervous Mom symbol here!) and gathered some rocks along the driveway, and painted nature pictures on them.

 

 

That wraps it up for us this week. Have a beautiful and blessed week. And may all your nature adventures be filled with many precious moments.

 

If you are interested in jumping on board with these wonderful Green Hour Challenges, head on over to Barb's blog at The Heart of Harmony.

 

 

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Comments

Mar. 19, 2008 - Great entry this week!

Posted by HarmonyArtMom
I loved reading all about your bird study. The list is perfect and we have the same sort of list with our bird field guide. Would you mind if I link to your bird list file so others can download it too?

Thanks for the link. Your family is really doing a great job with the challenges.

Barb-Harmony Art Mom
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Mar. 20, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by blessinghill
I love the rocks the kids painted - very good! What a great idea.
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Mar. 20, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by Patiecake
Where did you get the handbook of Nature study? I would be interested in purchasing it.That really looks like alot of fun. Thanks for posting your nature study and thanks for the ideas.
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Mar. 20, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by naturalpaths
I love the painted rocks - very cool! I'll have to remember that for my oldest.
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Mar. 20, 2008 - You've been busy!

Posted by kimalita
I love your root garden. Its lookign marvelous! My dh wants to start one of our own. Need to remember to put it on my grocery list for next weeks shoppig.

We've been inside this last week too, until yesterday. Its been a little chilly, despite our weeks of spring like weather. Today is a beautful day though.

I love the rocks with nature pictures. What a creative idea...Go Kids!!!

Thanks for all your fun ideas. I appreciate you sharing all the fun you're having!
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Mar. 20, 2008 - BTW

Posted by kimalita
thanks for that cattails notebook page --- I'm hoping to get to that this week.....no changes yet to our 'home grown' cattails
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Mar. 20, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by Seastar
I am sorry it is still so wintery there. It sounds like you made the best of the situation. It must be fun to just sit and look out the windows at all the squirrels and different birds that come to visit your feeders.

Sarah
www.seastaracademy.blogspot.com
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Mar. 20, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by Anonymous
Wow! What a wonderful bird study and great notebooking pages.

Those rocks look like a ton of fun too. :o) That is so creative to paint those pictures on them. How precious!

~Tina
Jetihoja Academy
http://jetihoja.blogspot.com/
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Mar. 20, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by Dana @ School For Us
Looks like you all had a wonderful nature study - even from the comforts of your own home! Hopefully, your weather will be nicer next week and you can venture outside. :-) I love the journal entries and painted rocks!
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Mar. 22, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by Sonja
I'm so glad that you are studying birds too! We are really enjoying it. I love the painted rocks and your list looks spiffy. Oh! It is hard to go outside when the weather is so forbidding. You still managed to do a lot of nature work inside, which leads me to conclude that you guys are amazing. :)
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Mar. 22, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by mamasmurf
Great post! We were lucky to get out at all this week - rain, sleet and very cold rough winds over here in England. What a great start to Spring!!

~Chrissy
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About Me

Welcome to our blog home! My name is Melissa and I am a homeschool mom of three beautiful blessings ages 11, 9, and 2; and blessed wife to my husband for 15 years. Our homeschooling style is eclectic, but we love Charlotte Mason's educational philosophies and learning the natural, everyday hands-on life way! We especially see daily opportunities to learn and grow closer to God through His amazing creation in nature!

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"Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young - a place near your altar, O Lord Almighty, my King and my God." ~Psalm 84:3-4


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Nature Notes

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  • 7/22/08
    More huge storms last night! Woke half our household up at 1:00am. Very scary! But I think the calm is here now, and yet another new wildflower has emerged - Hairy Hawkweed. It has a beautiful delicate yellow flower that looks a lot like Chicory.

  • Today, I observed a Hummingbird Moth busying about a bunch of Red Clover! I don't remember ever seeing one of those before. At first glance it looked like a bumblebee, but then I realized that it was hovering about like a hummingbird does and was slender shaped. Very cool looking!


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    "The earth has music for those who will listen."
    ~ William Shakespeare


    "I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in."
    ~ George Washington Carver


    "Reading about nature is fine, but if a person walks in the woods and listens carefully, he can learn more than what is in books, for they speak with the voice of God."
    ~ George Washington Carver


  • Scripture Notes


    For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. ~ Romans 1:20

    But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? ~ Job 12:7-9

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    General Links

    • Home
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    Downloadable Files to Share


    General Files

    • Weekly Chore Checklist-Updated 3/08 (Word)
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    Weekly Dinner Menu Planner-Updated 3/08 (Excel)
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    Daily Schedule-Updated 4/08 (Word)
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    Kid's Chore Cards-Updated 3/08 (Word)
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    Food Journal (Excel)
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    Education Journal - Blank (Excel)


    Nature Study Files

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    Taking Note of Birds List (Excel)
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    Birds Notebook Page - UPDATED(Word)
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    Northern Cardinal Study Guide (Word)
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    Plant Journal (Excel)
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    Science Journal (Excel)
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    Cloud Identification Sheet (Excel)
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    Fire! The Renewal of a Forest - Unit Study (Word)


    Bird Sounds from our Nature Walks (wav files)

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    Eastern Towhee - Nature Walk 3/23/08
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    Pileated Woodpecker - Sighting Back Yard 3/26/08


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    Nature Links

    • Cornell Lab of Ornithology ~ Bird Guide
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    What Bird? ~ Bird Guide
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    ENature
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    National Geographic - Creature Features
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    Ruby-Throated Hummingbird Migration Map
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    Great Backyard Bird Count - Feb. 2009
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    Great American Backyard Campout - June 28, 2008

    Nature Identification Posts

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    Nature Identification How-To's
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    Wildflower Walks, Identification, and Notebooking
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    Take a Wildflower Walk


    Kentucky Nature Identification Websites

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    Common Mammals of Kentucky
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    Wildflowers of Kentucky
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    Trees of Kentucky
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    Common Butterflies of Kentucky
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    Birds of Kentucky
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    Insects and Spiders of Kentucky-under KY Critter Files
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    Snakes of Kentucky
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    Reptiles of Kentucky
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    Frogs and Toads of Kentucky
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    Amphibians of Kentucky
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    Kentucky's Flora and Fauna

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    Nature Projects We've Done

    • Homemade Hummingbird Nectar
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    Homemade Suet
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    Bagel Bird Feeders
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    Nature Walk: 3-D Nature Scenes
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    Nature Prints in Clay
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    Nesting Materials Bag
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    Nature Walk: Poster Collage
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    Rock Painting
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    Our Nature Table
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    Mushroom Spore Prints
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    Woodland Fairy House
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    Nature Art ~ Blueberry Painting

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    Simple Backyard Nature Ideas

    • We Love Mud
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    Turn it Over
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    Animal Habitats
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    Let It Grow

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    Art and Music

    • Nature's Paintbox: Summer Watercolors
    ~ O'Keeffe and Vivaldi

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    Nature's Painbox: Spring Pastels ~ Stravinsky
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    Monet Impressionism ~ Vivaldi
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    Watercolor Project ~ Vivaldi
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    Mary Cassatt ~ Tempera Monoprint

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    Our Educational Philosophy

    "Education is an Atmosphere, a Discipline, a Life."
    ~ Charlotte Mason


    • Who Was Charlotte Mason?
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    Summaries of "The Original Homeschooling Series"
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    Why Homeschoolers are Turning to a Charlotte Mason Education
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    Simply Charlotte Mason

    Why We Love Nature Study

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    Precious Moments in God's Creation
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    Can Nature Teach?

    Quotable
    "Years hence, when the children are old enough to understand that science itself is in a sense sacred and demands some sacrifices, all the 'common information' they have been gathering until then, and the habits of observation they have acquired, will form a capital groundwork for a scientific education. In the mean- time, let them consider the lilies of the field and the fowls of the air." --Charlotte Mason, Vol.1, p. 63


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    Textbook Curriculum We Currently Use

    • Teaching Textbooks Math
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    Primary Language Lessons"
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    The Write Stuff Adventure
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    Mystery of History

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    Clouds Unit Study
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    Dandy Dandelions Study
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    Gardening
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    Mushroom Study
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    Teaching with Nature ~ Math
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    From Eggs, to Tadpoles, to Toads
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    Forest Fires Unit Study

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